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Capper, Curtis, Holliday and Brown to be subjects of downtown sculptures

Scultures, accompanying placards to tell this community's stories

Arthur Capper

Charles Curtis

Arthur Capper, Charles Curtis, Cyrus K. Holliday and the young Linda Brown will be the first four notable Topekans whose images will appear on life-sized sculptures downtown, with the work being financed using donations that have already been committed.

The Downtown Topeka Foundation says it also plans to use pledges it has received to pay to put up placards — or sculptures instead, if additional donations can be found to pay for them — telling the stories and showing facial images of these other people with Topeka ties: Washburn University benefactor Ichabod Washburn, Menninger Foundation psychiatrists Karl and Will Menninger, humanitarian Grant Cushinberry, Mexican food products entrepreneur Pedro Lopez, former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker and former U.S. Treasurer Georgia Neese Clark Gray.

The Capital-Journal received the lists of subjects Friday from Scott Gales, principal and vice-president for Topeka-based Architect One PA. The Downtown Topeka Foundation has been working with Architect One to highlight this community’s history as part of a downtown redevelopment campaign.

The city government is making infrastructure improvements in the first year of a two-year project to redevelop S. Kansas Avenue between 6th and 10th streets. Meanwhile, the Downtown Topeka Foundation has secured pledges totaling nearly $2.5 million from area businesses to finance downtown private pedestrian enhancements that will focus on telling Topeka’s stories.

Architect One has been seeking input about which notable Topekans should be recognized through downtown sculpture or art. Hundreds filled out surveys sharing their thoughts this year at a downtown open house and on the Topeka History Geeks Facebook page.

The Capital-Journal then offered a poll on Architect One’s behalf in May listing 35 noteworthy people with Topeka ties. Residents could vote for as many as four people. Participants submitted a total of 4,870 votes.

Gales then provided The Capital-Journal a six-page news release Friday revealing and discussing the foundation’s decisions. A copy of the release can be found accompanying this article’s online version.

The release said: “We have finalized a list of 16 (names) that are representative of the unique cultures and diversity of our community, and recognized both local/regionally-renowned individuals as well as national/internationally renowned ones.”

Gales said Capper, Curtis, Holliday and the young Brown, who is now Linda Brown Smith, will each be recognized by putting up a full, life-sized sculpture and adjacent, narrative placard.

But if the foundation can raise enough money to instead put up life-size sculptures of some or all of those people, it will, he said.

Gales said the foundation might choose to get creative and offer interactive features linked to the planned placards or sculptures portraying Evans, Torrez, Livgren, Douglas, Brooks and Hughes.

Friday’s news release said Architect One plans next month to put out a request for proposals from anyone interested in contracting to design, fabricate and install sculptures and/or placards for the project.